The doctor that showed up only did the bare minimum since Kasey was still human. Though he was supposedly trustworthy, Shobek made the doctor seal his lips about this incident with a bit of his magic. Though it was risky, both demon lords decided a tiny spark shouldn't prove where they were. So it was done. If the doctor spoke of the incident, he would instantly be consumed by Shobek's flames.
"The doctor said she should be better after a few days, especially with her quick healin. So you don't need to guard her..." Belasco again repeated to the stubborn dragon.
"We didn't even know when he arrived. There's no promise that he can't appear in her room either. It's better if someone stays in her room with her." Shobek snarled, his eyes watching Kasey as she lay on the bed, staring emptily at the ceiling.
Belasco sighed, giving up on his attempt to let Kasey rest in peace, "just promise me, that if she asks for some alone time, you will listen to her."
Shobek nodded before resting in the white armchair he had dragged into the room. With that reassurance, Belasco left them alone, focusing on setting up barriers around the house and the field.
"I'm sorry... I should've followed you. Even though you didn't want me to... I should've done what my gut said and followed..." Shobek touched the edge of the bed, too scared to touch Kasey's skin.
Glancing at him, Kasey stared back up at the ceiling in silence. It doesn't matter. Maybe it would be better if I had died.
Kasey didn't realize she said it aloud until Shobek growled and sat up straight, "DON'T you DARE say that again!! You cannot die!"
Readjusting herself to sit up, she stared at Shobek, "I am human. Therefore, I am weak and will one day die. Whether it's from old age or battle, one day, I will be dead."
Shobek shook his head, knowing it was true but refusing that it would end so quickly. "No. No."
Kasey sighed and laid back on the pillows whispering, "whether you want to deny or accept it doesn't change the truth. I am not like you. I probably won't live past a hundred. And the fact that hell moves much quicker means I am dying faster as well, doesn't it?"
Shobek stared at her in shock, realizing she was right. The time ratio was vastly different. Her life could be draining quicker because she is down here. "You need to go back to the living world..."
Kasey smiled sadly, "there's nothing for me there."
"And what's there for you here?" Shobek stood up and walked closer to her bedside. "What makes you choose to stay?"
"I have to pay the ones that have helped me. I need to pay them back." Kasey's voice became hollow as she thought it over. "But I am too weak to be of any use..."
"You are much stronger than any human..." Shobek sat down on her bed, watching her with hurt eyes.
"It's easy to overpower any human if you are smart or strong enough. The weakest person can be the world's strongest the most powerful could be under the weaker person's power. In the living world, money is everything." Kasey touched the bandage over her left eye with her good arm, sighing softly.
"But not everything can be bought with money..." Shobek finally gathered the courage to touch her. Taking her good hand he gently rubbed the back of it with his thumb. Kasey looked at him questionably. "You can't buy love... Sure you can buy sex and hookers and could easily buy over a lover. But true love doesn't come from money. If someone fell in love because you had money, they only fell for the money, not the person. They wouldn't think twice about killing you and taking the money for themselves. I've watched plenty of people do it. You can't buy true love and happiness."
Kasey looked away, "that's so cheesy."
Shobek smiled and kissed her hand, "is it...?"
"Y-Yes..." Kasey gave him a flabbergasted look as she withdrew her hand from his.
Shobek let her before he stood up and smiled, "I'll go get you something to eat... How's that?"
"Just please don't bring back some heart-shaped cookies. I might barf if you do.." Kasey smiled slightly at him.
Shobek chuckled and nodded, "fine."
Kasey watched him leave before letting her somber expression show again. Perhaps money can't buy you everything but it can buy you enough to live comfortably.
"Not that that matters to me...Not anymore..." Kasey whispered to herself. An emptiness instantly resurfaced again. "I just need to get stronger... How is the question. Training can only get me so far in this human body. If I ever want to compete with these demons... I need to get much stronger, and quickly....."
But how can I become stronger or become at least equal to a demon? Is it even possible...? Ugh! Why can't anyone be here to answer my questions? Answer....my...questions....
A lightbulb hit Kasey as she sat up in her bed, "That's it..!"
Shobek strolled into the room and looked at her, "Hm? What's it?"
Kasey looked up at him startled, "Oh...uh... Just...an idea on how to make...my....fireball...stronger...?"
"Nice! When you get better, you should try it out." Shobek sat the bed tray beside her.
"Yeah..." Kasey smiled slightly as she picked up her bowl of soup. "Thank you."
"Not a problem." Shobek smiled back.
A few days had passed and Kasey was essentially all fixed up. Though her arm was still in a sling. Shobek made sure to double-check Belasco's barrier every day to see if it needed to be fortified again. Belasco's wasn't in making barriers, so they tended to be weak and fade over time. This is why Shobek looked them over every day, to see if there were holes or weak spots. Kasey waited until Shobek had left to check on the barrier in the field with Belasco to get up and get dressed. Though she struggled with getting her jeans and her shirt on, she still managed to leave before they arrived back home. She let the shower run so they'd think she was just taking a shower and wouldn't just find an empty bedroom.
Now, the only barrier between her and getting outside was Ananta.
"Please! I don't have time for this, Ananta!" Kasey again scooted around the dog as she tried to walk to the front door. But Ananta seemed to insist that Kasey stayed. Finally, Kasey walked over to Ananta's treat box and threw it to the other side of the room so she could slip out the door. Sighing Kasey hauled up the backpack she snuck from Belasco and pulled the hood on the jacket over her head and started heading southeast. Her eyes looked over the map on the mobile phone she also stole from Belasco. It was going to be a long walk, but hopefully, the guys won't realize what she would be up to until it was done.
Kasey again checked the private message she sent out to the demon of greed, it was simple but hopefully, he would keep his word. All she needed to do was get to the coordinates he set for her. How he knew it was her and not Belasco was beyond her, but the less time they wasted, the better. She had a long day of walking ahead of her.
Shobek had heard the water in the shower when he went to check on Kasey. Deeming she was showering, he went back downstairs and played a game with Belasco. But something seemed off to him. Ananta stared and scratched at the front door, whining. But when the door was opened, she would only trot outside, then come back in.
"Is she waiting for you to do something?" Shobek finally asked as they completed a round in their game.
"I don't think so. I don't ever use the front door anyway. I don't know what's wrong with her." Belasco responded setting his controller down to go comfort his beloved pet.
Shobek watched the two before setting his controller down, "I think I am going to go check on Kasey. She should be done by now."
"Sound good, friend," Belasco responded, persuading Ananta to the couch.
Shobek walked up the steps and paused when he still heard the water running. I thought she would've been out by now...
"Kasey? You alright?" Shobek knocked gently on the door. After no response, he strained his ears to see if he could hear her. There was no sound. Shobek opened the door, a cloud of steam flowing out the doorway. He quickly walked over and shut off the water and checked the bathroom. She wasn't here. She must have just forgotten to turn off the water...
Walking over to her room, he knocked and peeked inside. A form lay in the bed. Walking over to her, he gently went to shake her shoulder to make sure she was okay, but his hand only felt something soft. Shobek took a sharp breath and pulled the cover down. Pillows. Pillows. They were pillows. Shobek instantly checked the room. There was no sign of her. Running down the steps he ran over to Belasco and roughly grabbed his shoulder.
"Is your barrier still up??" Shobek looked around the room cautiously.
Belasco nodded, looking up at Shobek confused, "yes, why? What's goin on?"
"Kasey's gone."